When looking to photograph the beginnings of our Bridal Collection, it was clear that the perfect location would be the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve just North of our hometown Pawhuska. The magnitude and majesty of this place inspired our brand in the very beginning, so it felt only fitting to bring these pieces there for their debut.
The Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, located in Osage County, Oklahoma, was established in 1989 by The Nature Conservancy, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving lands and waters around the world. The preserve is named in honor of Joseph H. Williams, a local rancher and conservationist who helped to establish the preserve and promote the conservation of tallgrass prairies in Oklahoma.
The tallgrass prairie ecosystem once covered a vast area of North America, but now less than 4% of the original prairie remains, making the preserve an important site for the conservation of this ecosystem. The tallgrass prairie is a unique ecosystem that supports a diverse array of plant and animal species, many of which are rare or endangered. The preserve is home to over 700 plant species, including big bluestem, Indian grass, and switchgrass, and over 300 bird species, such as the greater prairie-chicken, the dickcissel, and the grasshopper sparrow.
One of the main attractions of the preserve is the bison herd, which is one of the largest free-ranging bison herds in the world. The bison were reintroduced to the preserve in 1993 as part of a program to restore the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Visitors can observe the bison from a safe distance and learn about the role that these iconic animals play in the prairie ecosystem.
While we didn't see any of the bison this particular morning, we did enjoy incredible sunrise views of the prairie as the day began.
For the dresses, we chose second-hand pieces from our Photography Closet. It is so special to be able to give new life to pre-loved dresses & bouquets in photographing our works, and it feels extra special to utilize pieces that have already seen all the love of a wedding day.
For this first look, we paired our Taos Necklace with our Turquoise Threader Earrings for a perfect match. This made for a perfect accent to our Brilliant Cut Moissanite Solitaire Ring with our Arabella Turquoise Bands.
A closer look at our Brilliant Cut Solitaire Moissanite Ring paired with our 'Arabella' Turquoise bands.
For more information about the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, head here.
